Without a shepherd, the sheep scatter. In today’s chapter, the Good Shepherd gently gathers His frightened flock after a devastating blow…
READ JOHN 21 Make notes, if you’d like, of what stands out for you. Feel free to use the “Leave a Comment” box below to also write some of your thoughts.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
When the 2007 Foot and Mouth outbreak hit Cumbria, and all the livestock had to be incinerated, I learnt something new. The Cumbrian Fell Sheep are territorial. Memory is handed down in their DNA from adult to baby, which causes the sheep not to scatter. They know their territory and they graze without fences on the hills that belong to their shepherd.
Transferring this to humans, there’s two things to be learnt: (i) Without a shepherd, humans will scatter in every direction imaginable. Once this happens, there’s no boundaries to where they’ll wander; and (ii) We need genetically handed-down memory implants (reinforced by parent sheep at a young age) when it comes to knowing our Shepherd’s territory. My Creator isn’t just my Maker, He’s my Shepherd. In addition, He’s put “Eternity” in every human heart[a], so that we’ll not scatter, but that we’ll have a basic instinct for knowing His territory.[b] In the wide-open spaces, we’ll know within our conscience, the boundaries for where we’re to reside and thrive. Read More… CLICK “30 April – Additional Notes”
But what about your thoughts – can you tell me what today’s “breadcrumb” is? Leave a note in the “Comments” box below to tell me what you think of today’s chapter.
Wanting to speak with the Great Shepherd? The rest of this webpage uses Jesus’ own prayer to help…[c]
THE LORD’S PRAYER:
1. Praise: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven …”
You’ve been given authority, glory and sovereign power, Lord. All nations and peoples of every language will worship You. Your dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away. Your kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. [Daniel 7:14]
2. Ask: “…Give us today our daily bread…”
The World: God’s Grace on the Cook Islands[d]
Your Country: Needs of the poor
Yourself: Wisdom for decisions
Your concerns for today
In the morning, Father God, You hear my voice. In a new day, I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly. [Psalm 5:3]
3. Admit: “…Forgive us our sin as we forgive those who sin against us…”
Help me not to forget Your word of encouragement, O God. You address me as a father addresses his child saying: “My son, don’t make light of My discipline, and don’t lose heart when I rebuke you…” You, Lord, discipline the ones You love and You chastise everyone that You accepts as Your son. [Hebrews 12:5-6]
4. Protect: “…Lead us not into temptation but delivers us from evil.”
Thank-you that it’s in repentance and rest that I’ll find Your salvation, Lord. In quietness and trust is Your strength – if only I’d accept it. [Isaiah 30:15]
“For Yours Lord is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory now and forever. Amen!”
When Jesus was questioned, tested, tricked or in His hour of great need, He always spoke things that were previously written in God’s Word.[e] Following these memory verses from ten topics, will help you learn 52 verses from the bible in a year! THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE: An Assured Future
“Whoever has the Son has LIFE; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” [1 John 5:12]
[a] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[b] Romans 1:20 and Acts 17:30-31
[c] Matthew 6:5-15
[d] http://www.operationworld.org/node/156
[e] Matthew 4:4,6,7,10; 11:10; 21:13; and 26:24,31
Thank you so much for your faithfulness in typing these notes, I so enjoy them when I read them! It was painful to see the empty fields in ’08. Going to Cockermouth, we often passed close by the area where all the cattle were slaughtered and burned. There was an awful smell I can’t describe. My heart ached for the farmers. …But how wonderful to read that Jesus reminded Peter of his need to ‘follow Me’ – even though Peter had betrayed His trust. We need that heartache today to cause us to act, forget the past, and ‘press on towards … the high calling’.